A Pentagon proposal to broadcast the execution of Nidal Hasan, the former army psychiatrist convicted of killing 13 people at Fort Hood, has sparked sharp condemnation from lawmakers across the political spectrum. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced in an interview that a firing squad would carry out the sentence at Fort Hood, Texas, at 1 p.m. on Thursday, December 3, marking the first United States military execution in more than 60 years. A defense department official subsequently confirmed that the event would be livestreamed, triggering immediate political fallout.
Democratic Senator Chris Murphy strongly criticized the decision during a television appearance, questioning whether the nation was attempting to mimic terrorist groups by utilizing public executions, which he described as medieval and galling. Republican Senator Thom Tillis voiced similar objections on social media, asserting that while Hasan deserved capital punishment, broadcasting the event publicly mirrored the tactics of oppressive dictatorships such as Iran and Afghanistan.
Additional criticism came from Democratic Senator Patty Murray, who argued that justice could be pursued without turning a state execution into a grotesque public spectacle or a source of entertainment. Democratic Representative Betty McCollum also denounced the plan as disturbing and unbecoming of the United States military, noting that the country had not held a public execution since 1936 and that the army had not used a firing squad since World War II.
The controversy also drew opposition from human rights organizations, while international regulators noted logistical challenges regarding the broadcast, with New Zealand's national censor stating it would be unable to block the planned stream.
Defense Secretary Hegseth defended the decision prior to the backlash, arguing that the public needed to witness the consequences for such actions following the 2009 attack at the Texas military base. Hasan opened fire at a medical processing center on November 5, 2009, resulting in 13 deaths and dozens of injuries. A military jury sentenced him to death in 2013, and he has since been detained at Fort Leavenworth in Kansas. After exhausting his legal appeals last year, the sentence was approved this week by Donald Trump following a recommendation from Hegseth.